Aircraft often use torque tube members to move flaps from stowed to deployed positions. The torque tube members may penetrate the wing to body fairing. To accommodate flap motion, a large flap opening may be created in the wing to body fairing which must be closed off during cruise flight. Some existing aircraft utilize one or more kicker doors members that are pushed aside by the flap when it deploys. However, these kicker door members may not accommodate for variable camber during flight to allow for small angular displacements of the flap without opening the kicker door members. Further, these kicker door members may not work in the allowable geometries of some aircraft. Still other existing aircraft utilize elephant ear fairings which are large fairings attached to the flap. However, these may be undesirable because they may increase drag and noise.
An apparatus for covering and uncovering a flap opening in an aircraft, and method for its use, is needed to decrease one or more problems associated with one or more of the existing apparatus and/or methods.